SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — It was intentional, a harmless push of a button intended to help fans pass the time before the start of a Cactus League game. As the Rockies took batting practice early in spring training, the Grateful Dead's "Touch of Grey" hummed over the speakers at Salt River Fields.

Forget Purple Mondays. That's the theme entering the season.

Baseball is a young man's game. Unless it's in Denver. The Rockies are going the classic rock route with a more wrinkled roster, attempting to rebound from last year's disaster of a season and bridge the gap until the next wave of prospects arrive.

Rockies second baseman Marco Scutaro, 36, played in the AL with the A's, Blue Jays and Red Sox from 2004-11. AAron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post

The Rockies' projected opening-day lineup will average 31 years old, compared with 28 last season. The Yankees and Rockies were the only teams to begin spring training with six players at least 36 years old. Colorado's Jamie Moyer, 49, is 10 years older than any other starting pitcher in the majors.

In an industry every bit as obsessed with youth as Hollywood, the Rockies have chosen to "Go for the Old" in an Olympic year.

"Age always comes with a negative connotation, doesn't it," said 33-year-old right fielder Michael Cuddyer, the Rockies' top free-agent acquisition. "Well, I have never paid attention to it. What does it matter how old you will be in three years? Right now is what matters. Will we hold up over six months? No sense in trying to be fortune tellers. To me, let's talk about now. And right now, I am telling you we have a good mix here."

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Baseball players are known as the Boys of Summer for a reason. The sport is cruel to its seniors. In economist J.C. Bradbury's 2009 study in the "Journal of Sports Sciences," he concluded that hitters and pitchers peak around 29, and that all players are declining by 33. The Rockies have four starters older than that benchmark, including catcher Ramon Hernandez (35), first baseman Todd Helton (38) and second baseman Marco Scutaro (36).

Rockies first baseman Todd Helton is a career .323 hitter at age 38. Helton made his major-league debut in 1997. AAron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post

Colorado believes it will navigate the perils of age with a more versatile 25-man roster — which includes two of baseball's top players in their prime, Troy Tulowitzki (27) and Carlos Gonzalez (26) — and additional Triple-A depth. This should allow more rest and recovery for everyday players.

Rockies general manager Dan O'Dowd has had extensive conversations with his players about staying fresh, believing that a player at close to 100 percent for 140 games is better than one at 75 percent for 150 or 160.

The Rockies are eyeing 90 to 100 games for Hernandez, 110 for Helton, about 130 for Scutaro. Even Tulo and CarGo will receive more planned days off than in years past, as a concession to playing at altitude.

Rockies catcher Ramon Hernandez hit 12 home runs and batted .282 in 91 games with the Reds last year at age 35. AAron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post

"I don't have a crystal ball to know when the (productivity) is going to stop. But I think those (veteran) guys, in particular, really know how to take care of themselves. They do the right preparation for the season and during the season," O'Dowd said. "I'm not talking just about the physical part of the game. I'm talking about the mental part of the game too. Because the mental part of the game can grind you down just as much."

"You need gamers"

The Rockies' motivation to add veterans is traced to last season. O'Dowd saw too many mentally soft players, telling season-ticket holders in December that he wanted "men, not boys." Cuddyer, Scutaro and Hernandez all have gone to the playoffs. Each performed well last season — better than the players they are replacing — and should beef up a lineup that was largely disappointing a year ago. The longest contract commitment is to Cuddyer, through 2014.

Rockies outfielder Michael Cuddyer played for the Twins from 2001-11. He hit a career-high 32 homers in 2009 at age 30. AAron Ontiveroz, The Post

"They did it with a purpose," Helton said of the front office. "From a leadership perspective, there's a bigger voice. You have guys who have accomplished a lot bringing a new, fresh perspective. I think that will only help us."

The Rockies' decision to go in a sharply new direction came after years of touting their young players.

O'Dowd initiated a full-blown youth movement in 2003. O'Dowd insists he hasn't changed his philosophy. The reality is that the Rockies have missed on too many top draft choices, leaving a void in the system and their best prospects in Double-A needing more seasoning.

The veterans are the overpass connecting the farm to Denver, asked to create a Rockies standard of performance and accountability.

"You need gamers, guys who will do anything to win a game that day," said 41-year-old first baseman Jason Giambi, referencing the need for better situational at-bats by the Rockies. "We have to establish that."

There is precedent for older teams winning — and winning big. The 2001 Diamondbacks, who won the World Series, had a position player lineup that averaged 33.8 years old. More recently in 2010, the Giants won their first World Series title since moving to San Francisco with five players who turned 32 during the season receiving significant at-bats, notably Aubrey Huff, Andres Torres and Pat Burrell.

"This game is a (heck) of a lot more than just the physical aspects of skill. It's the one game that mentally dictates the majority of what goes on. You do lose bat speed, yes. You do lose arm strength, yes. You do lose quickness with your hands, yes. And you lose range," said MLB Network analyst Kevin Millar. "But the knowledge you have as a veteran player, to be in the right position, to have a slow heart rate when the game is on the line in the seventh, eighth or ninth inning, you can't teach those things. So that's experience. That's what the (Rockies') veterans bring."

Pitching is paramount

The difference between the Rockies and recent successful teams beholden to a graying crew is the pitching. The 2009 Yankees and last year's Phillies were anchored by strong rotations that created favorable matchups for their bullpens. The Rockies have only one pitcher — opening-day starter Jeremy Guthrie — who threw 200 innings last season. Only rookie Drew Pomeranz had a winning record, and Moyer will be attempting to become the oldest starter ever to post a victory. The Rockies will be counting on their offense to carry them early in the season, before the return of left-hander Jorge De La Rosa in June from elbow surgery.

"We are going to score some runs. The main thing is just staying healthy," said Scutaro, who posted a .358 on-base percentage with the Red Sox last season. "We need the pitchers to keep us in games so we can hang around and win late."

Making the Rockies' challenge more daunting is the division. They reside in the National League West, where even the bad teams pitch well. The 2011 division-winning Diamondbacks ranked ninth in the NL with a 3.80 ERA, with San Francisco (3.20) second, Los Angeles (3.54) fifth and last-place San Diego (3.42) third overall. The Rockies were 15th at 4.43, ahead of only opening-day opponent Houston. The questions surrounding the Rockies' rotation are why most projections have them finishing fourth with a roughly .500 record.

"Whether you're the Yankees and Rangers, who have formidable lineups, it comes down to the starting pitching and bullpen," said Rockies pitching coach Bob Apodaca. "If you don't have those two ingredients, I don't care how good your offense is. The Yankees' success hinges on their pitching. Ours does too."

Pitching and birthdays. Can the Rockies age gracefully this season, with a team of seniors? Moyer had a little fun with the topic last week when he asked when he would be making his next start.

"I am getting old," Moyer said. "I can't remember."

If the Rockies reach the playoffs, defying conventional logic about age, it will be a season impossible to forget.

Peaking allowed

J.C. Bradbury's 2009 study in the "Journal of Sports Sciences" examined how Major League Baseball players age. While there's no true consensus within the game, here are some of his conclusions, which closely match the views of most teams:

Most hitters and pitchers peak around age 29. However, there can be a wide disparity, with some players peaking early and some peaking later.

Players' skills peak at different times. For instance, hitters peak in batting and slugging average at around age 28, while continuing to improve in their ability to hit home runs and walk until 30 and 32, respectively.

A pitcher's strikeout ability peaks around age 24, while his ability to not walk hitters peaks around 33. It indicates that experience plays a role in improving per- formance to compensate for diminishing physical skills.

Most players' skills are declining by age 30; almost every player's skill is declining by age 33.

PEAK AGE BY SKILL

HITTERS

Category Peak age

On-base percentage 30.0

Average 28.4

Slugging 28.6

Walk rate 32.3

2Bs, 3Bs rate 28.3

Home run rate 29.9

PITCHERS

Category Peak age

ERA 29.2

Strikeout Rate 23.6

Walk Rate 32.5

HR Rate 27.4

Source: J.C. Bradbury, an economist and associate professor at Kennesaw State University. He runs the website Sabernomics.com and is the author of "The Baseball Economics: The Real Game Exposed" and "Hot Stove Economics."

Golden oldies

Can a contemporary major-league team win it all with a lineup filled with aging veterans? The answer is yes, if that team is blessed with star power and pitching:

The 2009 Yankees won 103 games and the World Series with a lineup that averaged 30.4 years of age. The Yankees had five regular position players who were at least 33 — Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui and Jorge Posada.

The 2001 World Series champion Arizona Diamondbacks were even older. They didn't have a player in their regular lineup below age 30. The average age of the D-backs' starting eight that season was 33.8. Their lineup included first baseman Mark Grace (37), third baseman Matt Williams (35), left fielder Luis Gonzalez (33), center fielder Steve Finley (36) and right fielder Reggie Sanders (33). The Diamondbacks won in large part because of terrific starting pitching by two of the best in baseball, right- hander Curt Schilling (34) and left-hander Randy Johnson (37).

CHAMPIONS BY AGE

A look at the average age for lineups and pitching staffs of the past 10 World Series champions (based on a 25-man roster):

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